TOWN are aiming to get key striker Andy Booth back into action next week.

The 31-year-old frontman has been forced to sit out both matches in the Copa de Ibiza tour because of a twisted right ankle.

Booth received treatment all week from physio Lee Martin, however, and should be ready to return in one of next week's friendlies.

"I think Boothy should be able to take part some time next week," said Martin, who has overseen the training schedules in 90-degree heat in San Antonio.

"With Boothy's past history of injuries, I don't think it was worth risking him on the astroturf surface here because turning an ankle on it would have been twice as bad as a normal grass pitch.

"The pitch wasn't as good as we thought it was going to be and we've had quite a few burns to elbows and knees, because players are bound to go to ground during a game.

"Other than a thigh injury to Nathan Clarke in the Coventry match, though, and an ankle knock for Andy Holdsworth against Ibiza, we haven't done too badly for injuries and, hopefully, when we get back home and into some training and matches there, we will be able to enter the season with a clean bill of health and everyone raring to go."

Martin - who has weighed players before and after each training session to measure dehydration levels - reckons the Town squad have coped well with the Mediterranean heat.

"We have tried to counteract the intensity of the heat by training early each morning at 8.00am but, even then, players are losing a lot of water through sweat," he explained.

"The average weight loss has been about 1.5kg each session and that has to be replaced one and a half times with water, so if a player loses 2kg in a session he has to drink three litres of water to replace it.

"Drinking just water can have the opposite effect, however, and go straight through the system, so we use isotonic drinks as part of the fluid replacement.

Martin believes Town will be ready to hit the ground running when they kick-off the new season at Nottingham Forest on August 6.

"Our condition stood out a mile with how much fitter and sharper we were compared with a Championship side in Coventry City the other night," he added.

"Coming to Ibiza has been a good change, the hotel and facilities have been excellent and the food has been top-class.

"It's been a good experience for the new lads Mark Hudson, Martin McIntosh and Gary Taylor-Fletcher to get to know the others.

"The spirit in the camp, once again, is excellent and we don't have a single problem on that score.

Town's first domestic friendly is at Conference North club Harrogate Town on Tuesday (7.30).

Admission will be £7 adults, £4 concessions and £2 Under 12s.

* Town old boy Kevin Gallen grabbed a late winner as QPR came from behind to beat Coventry 3-2 in last night's Copa de Ibiza final.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time, after powerful finishing by Dele Adebola and Gary McSheffrey, who had scored against Town on Tuesday, Rangers had it all to do.

Dean Sturridge netted with an angled shot to begin the fightback early in the second half.

The former Derby, Leicester, Sheffield United and Wolves man then levelled.

Gallen grabbed the winner, but only after Coventry had a goal disallowed for offside.